Busha picks up Chevrolet Performance SLM win

The Sportsman class has had it’s share of controversy in recent weeks. Last week Brian Courtney crossed the finish line first but failed post race inspection giving the win to Terry Poore. It would be Poore who set quick time in qualifying with a 14.660 second lap time. As has been the case recently the race had it’s share of chaos with David Vandergriff making significant contact with the wall on the very first lap of the 20 lap event. The damage would be too severe to continue on. Poore jumped out to the lead under green looking to pick up his second win in a row with Helton and Courtney hot on his heels. Jesse Helton and Brian Courtney immediately began battling for the runner up spot as Poore tried to drive away. A multi car accident would halt the race bringing out the red flag. Nick Barnard, Freddy HIllard were among those who saw their night hit a roadblock early. Back under green and Courtney was all over the back of Helton for second. The two raced door to door until another caution for Austin Atkins and Zach Sise slowed the pace. On the restart Helton knew it was his time to pounce and he did just that and took the lead away via the inside line off turn four. Once Poore got out of his groove it allowed Courtney to pass as well sending the points leader back to third. By lap 8 the top two had pulled away and were racing hard for the top spot. The white flag waved and Courtney knew it was his last shot and he wrestled the lead away from Helton coming off turn two to pick up the win.

1: #71 Brian Courtney
2: #57 Jesse Helton
3: #2 Terry Poore
4: #07 Bradley Lewelling
5: #51 Dalton King
6: #32 Cody Gloyne
7: #19 Tony Lindsay
8: #18 Cody Summers
9: #119 Austin Atkins
10: #50 Adam Mitchell
11: #99 Jeff Day
12: #9 Zach Sise
13: #74 Freddy Hillard
14: #169 Nick Barnard
15: #77 Jimmy Calloway
16: #27 David Vandergriff

A 16.062 lap time in qualifying would be enough to earn Shannon Emery the pole for the 20 lap Street Stock feature. Dale Watson, who qualified third would move into second on the start of the race past Dwayne Fox. He wouldn’t hold the spot very long as the next lap Fox retook the position and set his sights on Emery. Lap 4 saw Tim Kilby slow and eventually stop bringing out the yellow. Last weekend Jerry Hux picked up the win but tonight his night would end early as he pulled off the track under the yellow with apparent mechanical issues. We hadn’t seen Jamie Lackey in 2015 but he made his presence felt in a great battle with Dale Watson for the third spot. Just past halfway and the top two were already half a straight ahead of the next closest car. 2015 Champion Tracy Wolfe also had a battle on his hands with Jeff Ferguson for a spot just inside the top 5. Emery wouldn’t see any issues in the closing laps as he drove off to pick up the win.

1: #M2 Shannon Emery
2: #27 Dwayne Fox
3: #11 Dale Watson
4: #44 Jamie Lackey
5: #24 Jeff Ferguson
6: #T11 Tim Kilby
7: #5 Todd Merriman
8: #11 Tracy Wolfe
9: #119 Mike Williams
10: #01 Jerry Hux
11: #35 Jason West

After picking up his 11th win of 2015 in the Mini Stock class, John Byers would start at the rear of the field for the 20 lap event. Under green and it was Chris Griffin who showed the way in the opening laps with Bryan Idles in chase. Idles would go for a spin early on but would get his position back. By lap 2 Byers had already moved up into the top 5. Try as he might Sam Burgess wasn’t able to hold the point leader back and had to give up the 4th spot. A caution for Shaun Tenpenny slowed the pace for the second time. On lap 5 Byers continued his drive to the front by taking second away from Tommy Metler. Fireball Roberts was also on the move as he battled for a top 4 position in the second half of the race. Byers had caught Griffin but it was no easy pass. Griffin had clearly hit the setup just right on his #c8 machine and was able to hold onto the lead for awhile. Coming off turn two Griffin slipped just a little and that was all Byers needed to take the lead away. Griffin would keep in touch but Byers held on and picked up his 12th win of 2015.

1: #J7 John Byers
2: #c8 Chris Griffin
3: #322 Fireball Roberts JR
4: #44 Tommy Metler
5: #23 Sam Burgess
6: #44 Chris Kennedy
7: #2 Bryant Idles
8: #31 David Darden
9: #77 Stephen Russell
10: #44 David Stooksbury
11: #49t Shaun Tenpenny

The racing and the points battle has been amazing in the Classic car division so far in 2015. Joe Keck who has won the last two consecutive races showed the way on the start with his points rival right behind him. A broken right front tire in hotlaps looked like it might end Chris Evans night early but he was able to repair his machine and start the feature. He looked stout early as he was solidly in the top 5 in the early stages. Adam Pressley was also on the move getting past Rusty Welch. The first caution waved on lap 5 for Cliff Lane who went for a spin. Pressley and Overholser put on a great show for the packed house with an intense battle for position. At the halfway point Justin Overton was rapidly closing the gap on the lead. A caution on lap 11 put everyone back in contention. Overton kept putting the pressure on Keck for the top spot just ahead of the third place runner. Another caution called on Michael Maiden unfortunately meant he had to call it a night. With the two leaders fighting it out the battle was on for third as Pressley, Keck and Overholser at one point were three wide down the back. The final laps saw Overton be able to pull along the outside of Keck and the two raced side by side all the way to the finish. Coming off turn 4 to the finish Overton drove in a little too deep and Keck was able to beat him back to the line.

1: #78 Joe Keck

2: #98 Justin Overton
3: #07 Adam Pressley
4: #8 Eli Keck
5: #c74 Cliff Lane
6: #88 Ritchie Overholser
7: #65 Michael Maiden
8: #18 Rusty Welch
9: #2 Chris Evans

Cory Hedgecock set fast time in Late Model qualifying being the only car to break the 13 second bracket turning in a 13.808 second lap. After a quick caution on the initial start, point leader Jason Cardwell took the advantage on the green and set sail ahead of Hedgecock. Cardwell looked strong but coming off turn two he pushed up the track opening the door for Hedgecock who drove past into the lead. Mitchell Childress found himself in trouble bringing out the caution on lap 6. Cardwell looked to be having some handling issues on his #07 machine as he lost another spot to Trevor Sise. Eddie King Jr would bring out another caution on lap 9 as he went for a spin. Ruben Mayfield who qualified in the third spot wasn’t satisfied with that. He drove past Sise taking over the runner up spot. After slipping back earlier in the race Cardwell looked to have found a handle on his machine and he retook the third spot from Sise. Lap 11 Raymond Shepard lost control coming off turn 4 and collected William Overbey. Both cars would be heavily damaged and had to call it a night. Buddy George and Michael Rutherford had their own battle going on a little further back in the pack. Up front Hedgecock was picture perfect once again and cruised to his second consecutive Late Model win.

1: #23 Cory Hedgecock
2: #00 Ruben Mayfield
3: #07 Jason Cardwell
4: #73 Trevor Sise
5: #B00 Josh Driskill
6: #29 Buddy George
7: #2 Mitchell Childress
8: #61 Kenny Ford
9: #18 Michael Rutherford
10: #11 Raymond Shepard
11: #7 William Overbey
12: #39 Eddie King Jr
13: #2 Kevin Jackson
14: #17 Freddy Simpson

The final event of the night was the 50 lap $3,000 to win Chevrolet Performance Late Model feature. The previous night saw John Owenby pick up the win at I-75 speedway. a 13.806 lap in qualifying put him on point with Hedgeock who was looking to sweep both his races on the night. Owenby clearly had a rocket under him as he screamed out into the lead on the start. A quick caution on lap three slowed the pace. Back under green saw Owenby again drive off from the field. The battle of the race may have been between Hedgecock and Tim Busha. At least 5 times throughout the 50 lap event saw them swap the runner up spot. Brandon Williams had a number of problems on the night. His first came on lap 5 as he tangled and spun with Ross Martin. It wouldn’t get any better for driver number 95 as just two laps later he got caught up in a multiple car accident ending his night. The action was so intense it was impossible to keep track of it all. The Dirt Late Model Hall Of Famer Ronnie Johnson was doing what only he can. Despite qualifying back in 12th he had picked his way up through the field and into the top 5 by the second half of the event. He and Jake Knowles had a furious battle for the 5th spot with Johnson eventually prevailing. Crossing the line on lap 29 it looked like Owenby had things in control but coming down the backstretch he tangled with a slower car and spun. He would keep the top spot but suffered some damage to the front of his #44 machine. It seemed as if the damage wasn’t gonna hurt him any as he pulled out to a big lead. However with just 5 laps left the engine went sour and his bid for a weekend sweep came to an end. The caution waved in the final laps once more for Rusty Ballenger and Ross Martin who got locked together and had a wild spin into the infield. Busha would hold off Hedgecock for the final 3 laps to pick up the $3,000 check.

1: #15 Tim Busha
2: #23 Cory Hedgecock
3: #5 Ronnie Johnson
4: #66 Jake Knowles
5: #47 Tyler Crowder
6: #71 Pierce McCarter
7: #J8 Jadon Frame
8: #33 David Brannon
9: #03 Oliver Gentry
10: #88 Brad Coffey
11: #H2 Matt Henderson
12: #47 Adam Martin
13: #21 Mario Gresham
14: #44 Colby Kilgore
15: #29 Rusty Ballenger
16: #44 John Owenby
17: #23 Trevor Thompson
18: #11 Lavon Sparks
19: #95 Brandon Williams
20: #47 Ross Martin
21: #24 Barry Goodman